Hurricane (Typhoon) in Coastal Pender, North Carolina

Hurricane Matthew moved up the eastern seaboard, bringing very heavy rain and strong winds. Rainfall amounts ranged from four to over eight inches. Peak winds reached about 65 mph. Tropical storm force winds and flooded ground caused widespread tree and power line damage. Some trees fell across roadways to include Ebb Road and Sloop Point Road. The Northeast Cape Fear River near Burgaw crested at its second highest level since 1999, reaching major flood with a reading of 17.81 feet. Media reports indicated over a hundred structures suffered flood damage, the worst impacts reported from Kelly through the Canetuck area. Flooding in the Black River Basin in the western portion of the county resulted in evacuation and rescues of several neighborhoods. Many roads became impassable due to the heavy rain. Moderate beach erosion was observed due to the storm surge.

Major Hurricane Matthew moved up the southeast coast and slowly weakened to a category 1 storm as it moved up along the South Carolina coast and then eastward near the North Carolina coast. The hurricane brought 6 to 12 inches of rain and up to 18 inches to some areas of southeast North Carolina, with the bulk of the rainfall occurring within a 12 hour period. This rain fell on wet to in some cases saturated soil due to much above normal rainfall in September. The result was historic flooding; widespread flash flooding, and an extended period of major to record river flooding. Matthew's flooding rains, surge and wind brought loss of life, displaced tens of thousands of people, and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in structural damage as homes and businesses were devastated or totally destroyed. Major infrastructure will have to be repaired or rebuilt.